Kamilla Cardoso scores first WNBA basket in debut vs. Indiana Fever

It didn’t take long for Kamilla Cardoso to score her first WNBA points after coming in off the bench for the Chicago Sky on Saturday.

The shot came two feet from the basket after a nifty pass from guard Chennedy Carter. Cardoso caught the pass in the air, set herself and cashed the first basket of her young WNBA career.

Check out Cardoso’s unforgettable moment below:

The first of many WNBA points for Kamilla Cardoso 🩵#skytown pic.twitter.com/oH5BD8bpQe

— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) June 1, 2024

Cardoso has been a force during her first six minutes on the court. Before the first media timeout of the second quarter, the rookie was already 3 of 3 from the floor with six points to go with four rebounds.

Cardoso missed the Sky’s first six games with a shoulder injury that she sustained during a preseason game against the Minnesota Lynx on May 3. She was expected to miss 4-6 weeks during her recovery and is now set to do battle in a high-profile matchup against Clark and company.

The injury happened in the Sky’s first preseason game of the year, so Cardoso hasn’t been able to see the floor much with her new teammates, including her fellow rookies.

More on Kamilla Cardoso’s WNBA debut

The Sky selected Cardoso with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. The organization drafted Reese only four picks later in the hopes that they spent this year’s draft shaping their front court of the future. The duo battled it out multiple times during their tenures and SC and LSU, respectively.

While this is Cardoso’s WNBA debut, her and Clark faced off against one another less than two months ago during the national championship game between South Carolina and Iowa. The Gamecocks got the better of Clark in both women’s final collegiate game to cut down the nets.

Cardoso finished that game with 15 points and 17 rebounds in the winning effort. That type of performance and experience will fare well in the WNBA as she chases championships as a pro.

Ultimately, she won two national titles (2022 and ’24) with head coach Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks. However, Cardoso began her college basketball career at Syracuse before transferring after one season.

In 33 games during her final season, Cardoso averaged 14.4 points per game, 9.7 rebounds, two assists and shot 59.4 percent from the floor. Over the course of her career, Cardoso averaged 10.6 points per game, 7.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and had a 57.5 percent shooting percentage.